Sports Energy Bars And Drinks

[Kynan]

Does anyone give their dogs sports energy bars before, during and after heavy training, and competing? If so which ones and where do you get them from and did they make a difference to your dogs performance?

Have found some that appear good online but having trouble finding an Australian distributor as i am not sure how I would go trying to get them through customs if I brought from overseas.

Kronch Pemmikan Energy Bar

[persephone]

This is my take on it - I have never done trialling etc

Honestly- I think a lot of the overseas ones are for the colder climes... dogs working hard in snow etc may need the extra burst (feel free to correct me)

A young FIT dog, fed a diet which is full of good things, should not need energy bars :0

An electrolyte drink maybe in Summer if needed... but other stuff I think is a waste of money.

We have working sheepdogs, and they work long ,consecutive days..like 8 hrs- not just an hour or two. They can run many km a day..jump, balance ... they are incredibly fit tho.. and are mainly fed raw when working .

[Kynan]

Thanks persephone!

We are training Kynan for the Endurance Test and we are up to 12kms. My OH is a marathon runner and has studied sports science and is worried as I don't feed Kynan breakfast before we train and then I wait at least an hour after to feed him. As OH uses energy gels and drinks, he thinks that maybe I should be giving something to Kynan.

Edited May 24, 2010 by Kynan

[huski]

What makes you interested in trying them? Are your dogs lacking energy or drive etc?

ETA: just saw your above post. Remember that dogs are different to people, I always work my dog on an empty stomach. If he's working well I wouldn't be worried.

Edited May 24, 2010 by huski

[ness]

I have had it mentioned to me to try an electrolyte drink with Kenz before taking her out for a run but for reasons different to yours. I haven't tried it yet but I have been considering it.

ETA. I have had issues with Kenz collapsing at the park on a couple of occasions and its not related to heat exhaustion.

Edited May 24, 2010 by ness

[persephone]

I have had issues with Kenz collapsing at the park on a couple of occasions and its not related to heat exhaustion

have your dog checked for HYPOGLYCAEMIA , as well as heart function. friends of ours had similarprob- took ages to rule out heart.... turned out it was hypoglycaemia .

[Kynan]

What makes you interested in trying them? Are your dogs lacking energy or drive etc?

Think we posted at the same time Huski. Hope my other post explains it. Kynan has been doing great with endurance training but on Sat he struggled a bit so OH suggested energy bars or drinks. May be Kynan was just having a bad day. Will rest him for a few days and see how we go on Wed. It was also a bit warmer on Sat and I have noticed he doesn't like running over 20 degrees.

ETA just saw your post too

Edited May 24, 2010 by Kynan

[Nic oh lah]

I've seen people giving their dogs powerade and gatorade at trials

[persephone]

I've seen people giving their dogs powerade and gatorade at trials

all that sugar.

[huski]

I've seen people giving their dogs powerade and gatorade at trials

what bloody idiots

[poodlefan]

What makes you interested in trying them? Are your dogs lacking energy or drive etc?

Think we posted at the same time Huski. Hope my other post explains it. Kynan has been doing great with endurance training but on Sat he struggled a bit so OH suggested energy bars or drinks. May be Kynan was just having a bad day. Will rest him for a few days and see how we go on Wed. It was also a bit warmer on Sat and I have noticed he doesn't like running over 20 degrees.

ETA just saw your post too

Have his heart checked. I wouldn't call a 12 km trot "heavy training" in the same way I would talk about the sort of work/pace that competition sled dogs do. At what pace are you gaiting him? How old is he? He should be able to eat that sort of training if he is fit. Are you checking his heart rate?

One recommendation for a fast energy boost (from a well known US sports vet) is to feed white rice on the morning of competiton.

If you want an electrolyte replacement for AFTER hard work, use Recharge or similar - greyhound products are good for this.

Edited May 24, 2010 by poodlefan

[Kynan]

Have his heart checked. I wouldn't call a 12 km trot "heavy training" in the same way I would talk about the sort of work/pace that competition sled dogs do. At what pace are you gaiting him? How old is he? He should be able to eat that sort of training if he is fit. Are you checking his heart rate?

One recommendation for a fast energy boost (from a well known US sports vet) is to feed white rice on the morning of competiton.

If you want an electrolyte replacement for AFTER hard work, use Recharge or similar - greyhound products are good for this.

Heart appears good according to two vets. 2.5 year old GSD. Gaiting at 10-12km with some sprints up to 20kms. Standing heart rate 100, post exercise heart rate 120, resting temp 38.7, temp post exercise 39.4. He passed his hip and elbow xrays and sees a dog chiro every couple of weeks with no problems detected.

[poodlefan]

Have his heart checked. I wouldn't call a 12 km trot "heavy training" in the same way I would talk about the sort of work/pace that competition sled dogs do. At what pace are you gaiting him? How old is he? He should be able to eat that sort of training if he is fit. Are you checking his heart rate?

One recommendation for a fast energy boost (from a well known US sports vet) is to feed white rice on the morning of competiton.

If you want an electrolyte replacement for AFTER hard work, use Recharge or similar - greyhound products are good for this.

Heart appears good according to two vets. 2.5 year old GSD. Gaiting at 10-12km with some sprints up to 20kms. Standing heart rate 100, post exercise heart rate 120, resting temp 38.7, temp post exercise 39.4. He passed his hip and elbow xrays and sees a dog chiro every couple of weeks with no problems detected.

Ok. Slow down. The ET pace is 10kph and you're not doing the dog any favours going faster. I would save the sprint work for other occasions.

Dogs need to be comfortable and gaiting freely at test pace.

I have to say that I think that's a quite a high standing heart rate. My Miniature Poodle (who passed the ET with flying colours) had a standing heart rate of 68, got 90 on first heart check at the test (no doubt due to excitement) and had his heart rate FALL across the 2 hour test.

ETA: Fixed to remove reference to collapse - not the GSD's issue.

Edited May 24, 2010 by poodlefan

[ness]

Confusion poodlefan - sorry Kynan I shouldn't have thrown in my bit.

Its Kenz who collapses and she is a Border Collie and I had electrolyte recommendations for her because I can't get any fluid into her after.

Kynan didn't make any mention of her GSD having issues was only asking if people had tried sports drinks.

Edited May 24, 2010 by ness

[poodlefan]

Confusion poodlefan - sorry Kynan I shouldn't have thrown in my bit.

Its Kenz who collapses and she is a Border Collie and I had electrolyte recommendations for her because I can't get any fluid into her after.

Kynan didn't make any mention of her GSD having issues was only asking if people had tried sports drinks.

Only thing I've seen given to dogs is Recharge and then only on very hot days.

20km should be a stroll for a fit GSD. Some carbs on the morning of the test probably wouldn't hurt.

Edited May 24, 2010 by poodlefan

[Tilly]

I have "recharge" (I think it is marketed for Greyhounds) for my boy in hot weather when we are doing lure coursing but other then that ... nothing special.

I just don't normally exercise or work my dogs in really hot weather (because I personally don't like the hot weather ) and if I must have him out then making sure he drinks regularly and doesn't overdo it.

[Kynan]

Thanks for clearing up the confusion Ness.

Thanks for all your replies. Don't think i will bother with the energy bars.

Edited May 24, 2010 by Kynan

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

I think you could pay attention to how your dog is going.

This is a trainer Ness gave me the link for. It won't address Kenz's problem but it might help some dogs that fade out on competition days.

http://susangarrettdogagility.com/2009/08/...rs-debacle.html

I only know about my own physiology - I have to maintain hydration, salt and electrolytes (if I've drunk amounts approaching 2 litres or so - has happened), and sometimes food. I've got more than enough body fat to keep me going for several days of solid exercise but it's more the fluids and electrolytes that make your blood work. So bananas and cordial are great, and maybe the occasional pack of salty crisps (bad I know but I blame the cravings). Gatorade and salvital and staminade are ok but not necessarily better than water, depending what you're doing. Milk is great for electrolytes but not great before hard physical exercise like 1.5 hours of running hockey in the sun. Something I save for afterwards. Same with beer. Lots of electolytes but the alcohol packs a wallop on sport depleted body.

Dog physiology and horse physiology are different to human physiology and require different management strategies. It also depends a lot on the type of exercise being done ie agilty sprints vs endurance running.

If you're moving over long distances and time, there are calories being burnt and water being lost and that requires management either before or after, or during if possible though running with a belly full of water is not fun. Not sure, given that dogs don't sweat like humans do - how much salt / electrolytes they use, unless they pee a lot during the run.

[J...]

I've seen people giving their dogs powerade and gatorade at trials

what ;) bloody idiots

Well you can add me to the bloody idiot brigade!

I've had this recommended by one vet and okayed by another.

It's not something I use unless desperate, but when you've got a dog who won't drink in hot weather, if diluted powerade or gatorade gets her to drink then so be it!

[huski]

I've seen people giving their dogs powerade and gatorade at trials :D

what bloody idiots

Well you can add me to the bloody idiot brigade!

I've had this recommended by one vet and okayed by another.

It's not something I use unless desperate, but when you've got a dog who won't drink in hot weather, if diluted powerade or gatorade gets her to drink then so be it!

Sorry if I offended you Jess, I just had images from Nic's post of people giving their dogs bottles of gatorade etc to their dogs to attempt to improve their performance.

Perhaps feeding heavily diluted power drinks for health reasons i.e. the dog won't drink and you are desperate, but I am sorry, I don't understand it purely from the perspective of "enhancing" the dog's performance.